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It was actually the Dowager Countess that brought the two into the same room. She arrived at Downton three days later with Sir Anthony Strallan in tow. As she passed Carson the butler and his skyward raised eyebrows at seeing Strallan, she swept into the drawing room. Anthony had no choice but to follow, even though Carson's icy reception made him even more uncomfortable than he'd felt at Lady Grantham's insistence that he accompany her.
It had been rather unnerving that morning when she showed up at his door, insisting that she be heard, and then persisting that he accompany her to Downton. He wasn't certain what the old lady was up to but he'd been unable to refuse on the ill advised hope that he might get a chance to see Lady Edith.
It had broken his heart all over again when he'd heard of her marriage and the greatest irony of it was that the man was a least a decade older than Anthony. But sitting next to her in the mud and ruin of the accident, holding her dead child, a child that might have been his if he'd been less altruistic, all of the heartache since he abandoned her at the altar came rushing back over him until he was drowning in a sea of grief. His nights were filled with nightmares of that awful afternoon along the road and at the hospital. But other than Lord Grantham's brief reply to his inquiry, Anthony had little news of Edith's recovery. So he tagged along, hoping for a glimpse of a healthier Edith so that at least he might sleep decently again.
Lord Grantham was in the study with Matthew and Mary Crawley when they entered. "Robert," the Dowager called softly to her son.
Robert looked up from the desk where he sat at his mother inquiringly. But seeing Anthony behind her, he stood and crossed the room. "Sir Anthony, it is good to see you again," he said as he extended his hand to the man. Mary and Matthew turned to look at Edith's former fiancée and rescuer, both smiling at him. Anthony was quite perplexed by the warm greetings.
"Please, sit," Robert directed Anthony. "We are all so grateful for your assistance at the accident. I hope you didn't suffer any from the effort?"
Mary, who was sitting closed to the bell pull, rose and tugged. Carson appeared almost immediately.
"Carson, please bring tea for us all. And see if the other ladies would care to join us," Mary instructed. Carson nodded with a slight bow, his eyes raking over Sir Anthony before departing.
"Please, I don't wish to be a bother," Anthony said quickly, sensing the coldness from the butler. "I tagged along to inquire about Lady Edith's health. I had not heard anything after your note, Lord Grantham."
Mary looked at her father oddly and then answered. "It is not a bother, Sir Anthony. We were about to have tea on any account. And we are all in your debt for helping my sister that day. You'll be pleased to know that her injuries have healed."
Anthony soaked in the information. So his Edith was whole again, he thought. But no, she wasn't his Edith any longer and he had no right to think of her in that way. And she had lost her husband and son; she would never be whole again. But at least she had no permanent physical injuries. Anthony was relieved at that bit of news.
Matthew asked Anthony a question about his farms which started a conversation on how farming methods were changing after the war. Robert, aggravated by Matthew's insistence about the subject, huffed. "It seems Matthew thinks I've rather mismanaged the estate all these years, Anthony."
Anthony smiled awkwardly, not wishing to be in the middle of their battle. But he also knew Grantham had been reluctant about change. "No, I wouldn't say you've mismanaged," he offered. "It is just that things are changing…had to with losing so many to the war. If we are to survive, we all must learn to adjust, I would think."
"But you were interested in mechanized farming before the war, weren't you?" Matthew asked.
"Well, yes. Many of my tenants were getting along in age and the properties were in a bit of a flux anyway. Younger men who wanted to work the land weren't as plentiful as they had been in earlier times, so I had to find a way to keep production up with fewer people. I gather Downton is going through similar changes now. I suppose it will come down to changing with the tides or going under for all of us."
Robert seemed relieved by Anthony's response, as did Matthew and Mary.
Just as Matthew was about to ask another question, the door opened and Lady Grantham stepped into the room. Anthony had hoped Edith would be behind her but as she turned to close the door, his heart sank. It was not to be. "Lady Edith asked me to convey her regrets. She is still having a rather difficult time and isn't feeling up to seeing anyone this afternoon."
"Is she alright?" Robert asked, concern in his features.
"Yes, she will be. It's just…. Well, she had been going through some of Robbie's things and…"
"Of course," Anthony said abruptly. "This must be a terrible time for her."
"Yes, losing one's child is…well, it isn't easy." Cora said softly. Suddenly all minds were on Lady Sybil, who had been gone just over two years.
To everyone's surprise, the Dowager rose from her chair. "If you'll excuse me, I'll go up and see if I might help," she said.
Anthony's eyes followed the old lady as he wondered what he was to do now. With her gone from the room, his excuse for being there was gone as well. Matthew, watching him, caught onto his discomfort and picked up the conversation about farming. The three men were soon caught up in it while Cora and Mary listened, wondering if Violet would have any luck getting Edith to see Anthony.
Edith heard the soft knock on her door but tried to ignore it. She sat on her bed, clutching one of Robbie's sweaters in her hands, tears rolling down her face.
The door opened and Violet Crawley peeked around the corner. "May I come in?" she asked.
Edith didn't look up from the sweater but nodded. "Yes, I suppose."
The dowager entered and sat on a chair across from Edith's bed. "Oh my dear, it is a heavy burden you are required to carry," she said sympathetically.
"It seems I'm not meant to be happy," Edith sighed. "After Anthony walked away, it took so long … but I did recover. And William was good to me and there was Robbie. Oh Granny, I miss him so much…"
Violet Crawley surveyed her granddaughter's face. "Of course you do, my dear. But you know, Sir Anthony was quite upset by the accident. I know he meant the best for you when he walked away. It must have been very difficult for him to do that. And what a blow it must have been when he heard you'd married someone even older than he."
Edith looked up at her grandmother. "But you were against us marrying. You said he was too old for me."
"Perhaps I was mistaken. You do seem drawn to men who are older. And after this experience, well… I'm afraid men nearer your own age will seem quite foolish to you. It will take someone who understands what you have suffered. And Sir Anthony just might be that man, if you'll give him a chance. Perhaps you could find some bit of happiness after all."
"Is that why you brought him to tea?"
"I paid him a visit this morning. It was quite clear to me that he hasn't done well…whether it is since that day at the church or just since the accident, I cannot say. But he is worried about you; of that I am certain. And my dear, I think you rather deserve someone who will worry about you. So I brought him along. He protested, thinking it might make you uncomfortable. And right now I am quite sure he is squirming in his chair downstairs, caught in a battle of wills between Matthew and your father. I think he might like to be rescued by now. I could go down and take him away but I think he would much rather you be his liberator, don't you agree?"
Edith looked at her grandmother thoughtfully. "You won't oppose us this time?"
"No, my dear. I believe I was mistaken before and I won't interfere again."
Rubbing Robbie's sweater along the side of her face, Edith seemed to be thinking. "I just don't know. I…I just simply don't seem capable of feeling much these days. Would that be fair to him?"
"My dear, he will understand. He has lived this tragedy himself, you'll recall. In fact, he probably is the most qualified to help you through it, don't you think?"
Violet thought she saw a shimmer of new light in Edith's eyes as she looked up shyly. "You really think he will understand? He won't expect too much too soon?"
"My dear, if there is one thing about Anthony Strallan that I am quite sure of, he is the model of patience. He will understand and if he still loves you, which I believe he does, then he will wait until you are ready. But he will need a sliver of hope, don't you think?"
Edith smiled weakly. "Yes, alright then. I'll freshen up quickly and be down. Please don't let him leave until I've spoken to him."
"You have my word, if I have to enlist help, I will. But he won't leave." And with that Lady Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham rose in all her dignity and shuffled back downstairs, delighted in her victory.
Edith quickly touched up her face and smoothed her hair. Her dress wasn't what she would like to wear on her first meeting with Anthony since that fateful day, but she decided it would do. She didn't want to risk him leaving by taking too long to go down. Taking a deep breath and gathering her courage, she opened the door and stepped back into her life.
She tried to enter the room quietly but of course everyone took notice, no one more than Anthony. Once his eyes settled on Edith, he was lost to any other conversation.
Robert, seeing the expression on Anthony's face and the first sign of life in his middle daughter's face in weeks, turned to Matthew. "I have those papers in the library, if you care to go over them now," he hinted. Matthew caught on to Robert's ploy and nodded. "Yes, let's look while it is still fresh," and the two men left quickly.
Mary, taking a cue from her father, turned to her grandmother. "I've been redoing the old nursery. Come see what we've done…"
Cora didn't miss the look of hope in Anthony's eyes or the bit of color in her daughter's cheeks. "Yes Mama, Mary is doing wonderfully with it. You really must come up and see." And suddenly Edith and Anthony found themselves in the room alone.
She took a step toward him. "I was planning to call on you to thank you….for your help that day…at the accident."
Anthony looked at her, flustered. She was as beautiful as ever and her consideration for him during such troubled times amazed him. "I …I wasn't able to do much," he began.
"Papa said you somehow carried me away from the wreck. And you found Robbie and brought him to me…that you cried over him." Her eyes filled with tears. "I'm….I'm glad that someone was with him and felt his passing. It gave me comfort to know it was you."
Frowning, Anthony blinked back the memories of that day. "He was already…I wasn't with him as he passed," Anthony confessed. "You were calling for him so I brought him to you but by then you were unconscious."
"Yes, of course. But still, I know you were kind to him and cared. And I am grateful."
Anthony took a step closer. "I did care…do care, because he was your son… a part of you. The fear that you were going to leave us too was overwhelming; I couldn't bear it."
Edith looked into his starling blue eyes. She had forgotten how bright they were, how expressive. She studied his jaw and his strong chin. And as her eyes swept over his face she was mesmerized. How could she have forgotten how incredibly handsome he was? "Things are still very raw for me and yet I feel so numb. Granny said you would understand."
His eyes softened as he looked at her with that incredibly gentle expression of his. "Yes, I do. When Maud passed, and our son so soon after, I thought I would go mad. But I didn't and you won't either. Slowly you will regain yourself and find direction in your life again."
Trembling, she put her hand on his jacket lapel. "You said once that I gave you back your life. Do you think…. Would you be willing to …help me regain mine?"
"Of course, although I'm not quite certain what it is you think I might do to help."
Edith looked again into his warm blue eyes. "You could start by being my friend."
Smiling down into her dark eyes, Anthony replied. "That goes without saying," he replied softly.